Plandids are all over Instagram. What are they?

Ever see pictures on Instagram of people casually strolling the beach or dining at a restaurant as if they're unaware of the camera nearby?

Before you marvel at how users can capture such marvelous candid shots, ask yourself: does this look like it was planned in advance?

There's an actual word for this type of photo: the "plandid." Absolutely confused? We're here to help.

What is a 'plandid'?

The term combines the words "planned" and "candid." As the website Man Repeller explains, the plandid is a "carefully calculated solo shot that appears to have been taken by a professional photographer, posted without a hint of shame or irony, and for no apparent reason other than, why not?"

The goal of the plandid is to pose as if you have no clue someone is taking your picture.

Why do people do this?

Because it would appear looking at the camera and saying "cheese" is not cool any more. Man Repeller refers to it as the "super-selfie," made popular by celebrities including Kylie Jenner.

Is this seriously a thing?

If you're going by images tagged with the word "plandid," it doesn't seem like a big deal. Based on a search on Instagram, there are roughly 1,700 posts with that tag, which is small considering the service has 700 million users.

Then again, if the point of a plandid is to look natural without anyone realizing this was a planned shot, do you really call it out? Not to mention, there are likely legitimate candid shots on Instagram where no planning was required.